kuiilman



No. 625,270. Patented May l6, I899.

D. D. KUHLMAN.

GRADING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 9, 1897. Renewed Mar. 17, 1899. (No Model.) 7 3 Sheeis-Sheet l.

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No. 625,270. Patented May I6, I899. D. D. KUHLMAN.

GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 9, 1897. Renewed Mar; 17, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-+Sheel 2.

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No. 625,270. Patented May l6, I899.-

n. n. KUHLMAN.

GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

, (Application filed Apr. 9, 1897. Renewed Mar. 17, 1899.)

(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNTTED STATES p PATENT OFFIc DAVID D. KUIILMAN, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

GRADING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,270, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed April 9, 1897. Renewed March 17, 1899. Serial No. 709,465. (No model.)

To (all whom, it may concern.-

Be it knownthat 1, DAVID D. KUHLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma city, in the county of Oklahoma and Territory of Oklahoma, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Grading and Ditching Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact dc scription of the invention, such as will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object, first, to convey the excavated material deposited upon the inner surface of the periphery of the rotary wheel and transmit the same to the discharging-point within the circle of rotation of the wheel; second, to control automatically the discharge of the material from the wheel, and, third, to prevent movement of the loose material in the receptacles or pockets.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, such as will be first fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation'of the improved grading and ditching machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved machine with the material-conveying wheel in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the improved machine, taken from the rear end, with the material-wheel in vertical section. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the hinged arms supporting forward end of the plow-beam. Fig. 5 is an alternate view of the material -conveying wheel. Fig. 6 is a rear end view of the wheel as seen in Fig. 4, with the peripheral portion partially broken away to show the sliding covers and rollers. Fig. 7 is a view in plan in detail of the frame of the machine and with a portion of the material-conveying wheel in horizontal section Fig. 8 is a detail view of the sliding covers and links as seen in Fig. 5.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine or carriage, which consists of two horizontal beams a a, arranged horizontally in position and within a short distance of each other. The extreme forward ends of the beams a a are connected together by a transverse plat-e a A short distance in rear of the plate a and extending from the inner side of beam a and bolted to said beams is a block a Beneath the block a is a caster or swivel wheel B, the pivot-post b of which extends upwardly through the block a at a point equidistant from the beams to aand a considerable distance above the upper surface of said block. WVith the pivot 12 is connected one end of a draw-bar b the other end of which bar is forked, and said forked end extended a considerable distance beyond the forward ends of the beams a and is bent downwardly at an angle to said beams and the forked portions connected with the pivot b of the caster-wheel B on opposite sides of said wheel, so as to permit the movement of the caster-wheel at an angle to the said beams. WVith the bar 13 is connected a draft-hook b To the upper surface of the beam a, at a point a short distance in rear of the point of connection of the block a with said beam, is bolted at a one end of a beam a which extends rearwardly to a point in line with the rear end of beam a and is inclined upwardly at an angle to said beam. W'ith the inner side portions of the beams a and a and at the extreme ends of said beams is connected rigidly a vertical beam or standard a, one end of which standard extends downwardly a considerable distance below the beam a to act as guide to the plow-beam, hereinafter described, and the upper end extends the proper distance above beam a to support the chute, hereinafter described. Upon the other side of the frame A is a beam at", which is connected with the upper surface of the beam at at one end and at the same distance from the block a as described of the beam a and which extends rearwardly the same distance and inclined upwardly in precisely the same manner as described of the beam a. With the under side portion of the beam a is connected the upper end of the standard a the lower end of which standard is connected with the upper side of the beam a.

To the inner side of the beam a, at a point a short distance in rear of the point of connection of beam a with the beam a, is bolted the upper end of a supporting-bar c, the lower end of which bar extends downwardly nearly in 7 port d and brace d the same plane as the axis of the caster-wheel B. To the lower end and inner side portion of said bar 0 is hinged at 0 one end of a vibrating bar 0 which bar extends in a transverse direction to the frame A and to a point a short distance beyond a line drawn vertically upon the outer side of beam at. Upon the upper side and vibrating end of the bar (2 is an eyebolt 0 with which bolt is connected the eyeplate c on forward end of the plow-beam O, which beam extends rearwardly to a position slightly beyond that of the standard a, and with said plow-beam is connected in the ordinary manner the plow O, which turns the soil inwardly with respect to the frame A. With the outer side portion of the standard a is connected one end of a guideplate 0 the other end of which plate is bent outwardly and extended downwardly upon the outer side of the beam 0. With the outer side port-ion of the plow-beam O and near the forward end is connected pivotally at (I one end of the support (1, in the lower end of which is journaled the gage-wheel D. Vith the journal of wheel D is also connected one end of the brace 61 the other end of which brace is adjustably connected at (Z with the beam 0 in the ordinary manner. Upon the other side of beamO are supports for the gage-wheel, the same as described of the sup- XVith the forward end of the plow-beam C is connected one end of the draft-chain E, which is also connected at the other end with the hook e on the outer side of the beam a.

With the outer side of the beam (J, directly above the plow O, is attached the'lower end of a link f, and upon the outer side portion of the beam at is pivotally connected a bellcrank leverf, one arm of which lever is connected with the upper end of the link f. Upon the outer side of beam a and near the point of connection of the end of beam a with the beam a is pivotally connected the lower end ofalever F,the upper-end of which extends a considerable distance above the said beam. With the outer side portion of said lever F, at a point a short distance above the pivotal point with beam a, is connected one end of a bar f the other end of which baris connected with the other arm of the bell-cranklever f to that connected with the linkf.

At the point of connection of the beam 6&5 with beam a is connected one end of a bar g. Upon the upper end, which extends upwardly and is inclined rearwardly, is attached the seat G. The other support g for said seat is connected with the beam a. at the point of connection of beam a with said beam.

At the extreme rear end of the beams (i a and connected rigidly with the inner side of the respective beams is a fixed transverse shaft H, one end, h, of which shaft is made a degree smaller in diameter than that between the said beams and said end extended through the beam a a considerable distance beyond the outer side portion of said beam. The

other end of shaft H is also reduced in size and extended through the end of beam a".

Upon the outer end h of shaft H is loosely mounted a gear-Wheel 2'; with the outer side portion of which is rigidly connected the upper end of an axle-bar t", the lower end of which bar extends downwardly to a position opposite the plow-frame c and is then bent outwardly at i at an angle to the bar 1' and extended horizontally a short distance, and upon said portion i is journaled the tractionwheel I. V

The elevation of the material excavated by the plow is accomplished by the large rotary wheel K, which is arranged between the beams a a and constructed as follows: The

periphery of the wheel consists of a circular plate 70, which extends in width nearly twothirds the distance described between the beams a a of frame A. Upon the edge of the plate 70 in the direction of beam at is an annular flange or plate'lt which extends a short distance inwardly from the plate 70. Upon the outer edge of plate 70 of the wheel is an annular flange k which extends inwardly a little over twice the described distance of the flange k Upon the portion 71' of the fixed shaft H is loosely mounted a hub 70 with which hub is rigidly connected one end of a spoke 10 the other end of which spoke is extended in the direction of and on the inner side of the flange 70 a short distance and bolted to said flange. A similar spoke k is attached to the hub 10 and the inner side of flange k in a direct line with the spoke k". I also employ spokes extending from the hub 72* at right angles to the spokes 70 70 connected with the flange k in the same manner as described of the spokes k 706. To the inner side portion of the spokes k k is attached rigidly in aline concentric with the periphery of the wheel K a circular plate L, which is comparatively narrow in width. To give rigidity to the spokes, a brace Z is connected with the shaft H and extended to the inner side of plate L. Other braces are connected with the shaft H and also with the other spokes of the wheel H, as described of the brace Z.

On the inner side of the periphery of the wheel K is a receptacle or pocket for the material excavated by the plow, formed by a partition m, extended transversely from the inner side of the flange k to the inner side of I M, the outer edge of which cover extends to and rests upon the edge of flange 10 The sides of the cover M are also inclined, and

each side describes an oblique line drawn upon the same radial lines as the partition m and the partition m. Each separate division in the direction of the circumference of the wheel is supplied with a cover precisely the same as the cover M, and between the edges of adjacent covers is a space m9. With said flange k is connected rigidly one end of a post N, the other end of which post extends at right angles to said flange k and to a point about two-thirds the described distance between the flanges k k Said post is further sustained by a brace I, connected with said post and the plate L in the inner sides of spokes k Directly beneath the cover adjacent to cover M and each. cover in the series of covers is connected a post, as described of the post N. To the outer end of the post N is pivotally connected the oppositely-extended arms n n of an oscillating lever. The extreme outer end of the arm a is forked, and between said forked portions is a roller 11 On the under side of the cover M, on opposite sides of the roller of, are roller-guides m On the extreme end of the lever-arm n, which is the same length as the arm n, is a straight pivot upon whichis an antifriction-roller n Said-leverarm n is bent in a slight degree at an angle to the arm n.

\Vith the outer end portion of post N is connected a block m which extends in the direction of the circumference of wheel K to support the cover M when in an open position.

IVith each post N in the series of posts are connected lever-arms, as described of the levers n n, and each engaging with one of the covers M.

Concentric with the shaft II and within the line described by the series of covers M is a cam-wheel O, in the outer edge portion of which wheel is a groove 0, in which groove is inserted the antifriction end of the crank-arm n on each one of the respective posts N. The cam-wheel O is connected with the shaft H by means of the spokes 0, which are each connected with the outer side portion of the cam-wheel at one end and with the shaft H at the other end.

With the upper end of the standard a is connected one end of a chute P, which extends within the space between the camwheel and the cover M to the pockets m and so far beneath the cover as to permit the discharge of the material without coming in contact therewith. The lever end of chute P is supported by the brace 12, which is connected with the standard a.

Upon the inner side of beam at, at a point near the forward end of the beam a and a suitable distance in rear of seat G, is connected the lower end of a standard R, the upper end of which standard is nearly on line with seat G. Upon the side of standard R in the socket-plate 0' is journaled a rod R, the other end of which rod is supported by the brackets 0' 0*, which extend outwardly from the standard a, and upon said end of said rod between said brackets is a worm N, which engages with the worm-wheel'vl on the portion h of shaft H. Upon the other end of rod R is a crank 1 In the operation of the improved machine the gage-wheel D on the plow-beam G is first adjusted, so as to conform to the required depth of the furrow or the amount of material to be removed in the path of the plow G. The cover M to the receptacle or pocket m opposite in position to the plow O, is in an open position and so held by the crank-arm n on post N. Each one of the covers M on the portion of the periphery of the wheel in the direction of the forward end of the ma chine and to and including the cover-opposite the chute P at the point of the highest elevation of the material is also in an open position. Power is then applied to the drawbar 12 and as the machine advances the furrow thrown by the plow falls into the receptacle or pocket m directly opposite the plow, the moldboard of the plow turning the material into the adjacent receptacle, which, in the rotation of the wheel K, is quickly filled and passes rearwardly and upwardly, and another receptacle follows in position and receives the quantity of material dislodged during the time occupied in passing the plow, and each succeeding receptacle during the movement of the machine takes the full quantity of material dislodged, the width of the receptacle m being proportioned to the width of the plow, so as to carry off the quantity equal to that removed by the plow. As soon as the first receptacle has been filled with the material and has passed a given point rear-- wardly the arm n on the post N, which extends within the groove 0 of the cam-wheel .0, moves inwardly toward the spokes of the wheel K, and the other arm n is moved outwardly from the spokes, and this movement of spoke n closes the cover M to the pocket and holds it in a closed position until it reaches the highest point of elevation, or directly opposite chute P, at which point the arm n is moved outwardly from the spokes of the wheel K, and the arm n is moved toward said spokes, permitting the cover M to fall into the open position, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, in which position the material is discharged upon the chute P and from said chute delivered to the side of the excavation or a conveyance, if preferred. In this manner large quantities of material can be removed with economy in labor and with less handling of material in road-building or in the excavation of trenches.

In order to permit the material-conveying wheel K and the plow O to enter an excavation, the crank on the end of rod R is operated, and the'worm-gear r rotates the wormwheel v; and moves the traction-wheel I rearwardly and at a suitable distance, the traction-wheel following the lines of the surface of the ground upon the side of the excavation.

In drawing the wheel K from the excavation the rod B. is operated to draw the wheel forward into position. When the plow is to be elevated and lowered in position, the lever F is moved forward or rearwardly, the guideplate 0 preventing lateral movement of the beam.

Instead of the retention of the material with in-the pockets or receptacles m in the wheel K by the employment of the hinged cover M, I may accomplish the same result in another manner more fully shown and described in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, in which the details of construction are varied and in man y respects simplified. In Fig. 5 the annular flanges s s on the outer edge of the wheel S extend in the direction of the axis of the wheel the same described distance, and the spokes of the wheel are connected with the outer side portion of the flange s. The beams 25 t of the frame of the machine,which correspond with the beams o a of frame A, are inclined upwardly at a greater angle to the horizontal beams 25 25, and the beam 25, which corresponds with the beam at in frame A, is extended rearwardly to a position nearly opposite the annular flange s of the wheel S. To the inner side of the beams t t is secured rigidly a curved plate U, which describes a line upon its outer edge concentric with the periphery of the wheel S and extends from a position near the chute P, in the direction of the rear end of the machine, downwardly a considerable distance below the line of the under side of beam 2f. Upon the other side of the machine and secured to the outer end of an arm 15", extending in a curved line from the inner side of beam 29 is a curved plate U, which is precisely the same as plate U. At the lower end of plate U and on the inner side of said plate is journaled one end of a large roller V, the other end of which roller is journaled in the lower end of the plate U, said end being supported by an arm similar to arm t At the upper end of the plate U and on the inner side of said plate is journaled a roller V, which is the same in size as the roller V and is journaled in the inner side of the plate U. A short distance from the roller V in an upward direction is a roller 1;, which is less than one-fourth the dimensions of the roller V and is journaled at each end in the respective plates UU, as described of said roller. Other rollers are arranged between said plates U U in series and journaled thereon, extending in thedirection of the upper ends of the said curved plates U U. An endless chain W, composed of pivoted links m m, is extended at one end over the roller V, thence over the chain W, at a point flush with the inner edge of the chain, is connected rigidly one side portion of a plate or cover Y, the other side of which cover extends to and is connected with the inner side of the link 10 in the chain W. The plate Y also extends nearly to the pivotal point of one link to the pivotal point of an adjacent link in one direction and to the extreme ends of the links in the other direction, so.that the opposite edges of the separate plates or covers nearly meet. On the inner surface of the plate Y are pins y,which extend in the direction of and within the receptacles in the wheel for the material. In operation the material passes upwardly in the pockets or receptacles of the wheel and un der the cover or plate Y, and which covers, as soon as the material is forced within the pocketsfmove or slide with the accompanying movement of the wheel S, the material being prevented by the pins y from moving when it falls upon the cover Yby the inverse position of the receptacles or pockets heretofore described.

In excavations for canals, 850., when the cut is desired to be made upon both sides of the excavation in vertical lines I may disconnect the traction-wheel I, which serves to preserve the equilibrium of the wheel from the one side and connects the same with the other end of the shaft upon the other side of the wheel, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus enabling the plow to keep in line with the vertical side of the excavation.

The material conveying wheels may be made of different widths, so as to increase the capacity of the machine, and also increased circumferentially, thus providing for the excavation of water-courses or irrigatingditches, whatever may be the width of excavation, and remove the material in large quantities with increased facility and without friction to impair its utility in'operation.

Having f ully described my invention, what I new claim as new, and desire to secure b Letters Patent, is

1.' The combination in a grading-machine, with the frame of said machine, of a rotary material conveying wheel, having annular flanges, and separate receptacles for the material on the inner side of the periphery of said wheel between said flanges,a coverhinged to one of said flanges and extending over said receptacle, a post connected with the said flange to which the cover is attached, and an oscillating lever connected with said post,hav-

2. In a grading-machine, the combination with the frame of the 1nachine,having a guidewheel at the forward end, and an excavator for the material connected with said frame, of a rotary material-conveying Wheel at the rear end of the said frame, having annular flanges extending from the outer edge portion, and receptacles for the material between said flanges, a fixed shaft connected with the opposite sides of said frame, and a movable hub upon the end of said shaft, having spokes connected with said wheel, a circular plate upon theinner sides of said spokes, aseparate cover to each receptacle hinged to one of said annular flanges,and each cover having guides upon its outer side portion, a cam-wheel upon said fixed shaft, having a peripheral groove, and a post connected with the inner side of the annular flange, to which said cover is hinged, and an oscillating lever having antifriction devices upon its respective ends, one arm of said lever extending between the guides on the cover to the receptacle, and the other arm extending within the groove of the said camwheel, as and for the purpose described.

3. In a grading-machine, the combination with the frame of said machine of a guidewheel at the forward end of said frame and a rotary material-conveying Wheel at the rear end of said frame, having receptacles or pockets for the material upon the inner surface of the periphery of said wheel, and a cover to each pocket, and devices upon said wheel for opening and closing said cover automatically, a plow upon the side of said material-conveying wheel, having the beam connected with the forward end of said frame, and a traction wheel upon the side of said machine, having an axle-bar adjustably connected with the axis of said material-conveyin g Wheel for the purpose described.

DAVID D. KUI-ILMAN.

W'itnesses:

S. L. O. HASSON, D. G. PERCIVAL. 

